As this holiday season wraps up, make sure your Christmas tree comes to a good end.
“If you dispose of your tree properly, it will be ground up into mulch or compost that protects the roots of plants and improves the soil,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist in the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “If you’re not going to make use of your tree in your own yard, make sure that you follow local rules so it goes to the wood chipper, not the landfill.”
Here are some do’s and don’ts for making use of a real Christmas tree in your garden or disposing of it properly.
Use branches to protect plants. One of the dangers of the Midwestern climate is a late-winter warm spell that thaws the soil and tricks bulbs and other plants into sprouting too early. “You can keep the soil cool with branches cut from your Christmas tree, laid over beds where you have bulbs or perennials planted,” Yiesla said. In early March, when it’s actually time for early plants to start sprouting, remove the evergreen boughs and dispose of them in the landscape waste.
Shelter wildlife. If you have the space, consider leaving the whole tree in your yard for a while to provide a winter refuge for birds and other wildlife. In spring, cut the tree up and dispose of it through your municipality’s landscape waste disposal program.
Don’t use a tree for firewood. Never burn an evergreen tree in a fireplace or wood stove. It may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire. To prevent your Christmas tree from becoming a fire hazard, take it down and dispose of it as soon as it shows signs of drying out.
Check tree disposal rules. Each municipality or waste management company has its own rules for tree disposal, and they can change from year to year. Look the rules up on your local government’s website before you take the tree down.”Some municipalities pick up trees at the curb and some pick them up in the alley,” Yiesla said. “Some require you to take the tree to a central recycling site.” In Chicago, for example, your tree will only be recycled if you take it to one of 27 collection sites in city parks between January 3 and 17. Trees left out for pickup will go to a landfill with the garbage. See tinyurl.com/2wuywrub.
Clean everything off. Before you put it out for pickup or take it to a shredding site, remove all decorations. If you use a plastic tree bag to carry the tree from the house, take the bag off once the tree is outside. Trees that aren’t completely bare will go to a landfill instead of being recycled. Flocked trees — those covered in white synthetic powder to suggest snow — can’t be recycled. Throw those away in the regular trash.
Trees only, please. Only an actual tree that was once a living organism can be recycled. Don’t include wreaths or garlands, which contain metal wire that could damage the shredding machinery. Discard those items in the trash, along with artificial trees and any other decorations that aren’t made of wood. If possible, recycle unwanted holiday lights through local collection programs.
For tree and plant advice, see the online resources of The Morton Arboretum at mortonarb.org/plant-care, or submit your questions online at mortonarb.org/plant-clinic or by email to plantclinic@mortonarb.org. Beth Botts is a staff writer at the Arboretum.
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